Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Elephant Update

Tuesday morning, August 26

Yesterday afternoon the calf was tired and a bit wobbly from lack of sleep. He slept under his mom for an hour and a half in the evening and got more sleep in the early morning. He seems more rested now and is trotting around, following his mother. He's nursing exclusively from Rose-Tu now, so keepers no longer need to feed him supplemental formula. As of 7 a.m., Rose-Tu is no longer tethered and the calf has full access to her. Keepers will continue to supervise the two on a 24-hour basis as they bond and get more comfortable with each other. The next step will be introducing the youngster to Shine and Chendra, the other members of Rose-Tu's herd. This will initially be done with what keepers call a "howdy gate," where they will be able to see, but not have contact with, the baby.